Electrolytical manufacture of compounds containing active oxygen



F 1931- E. NOACK ET AL 2,389

ELECTROLYTICAL MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS CONTAINING ACTIVE OXYGEN Filed June 21, 1928 Patented Feb. 10, 193;

ii UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFVICE' voacx, or WIESDORF-ON-THE-R-HINE, oswnv NITZSCHKE, or LEVERKUSEN-ON- THE-RHINE, AND GEORG PFLEIDERER, OF LUDWIGSHAIEN-ON-THE-RHINE, GER- -MANY, ASSIGNORS TO I. G. FARBENINDUSTRIE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF FRANK- FORT-ON-THEMAIN, GERMANY, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY ELEC'IBOLYTICAL MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS CONTAINING ACTIVE OXYGEN Application filed'June 21, 1928', Serial No. 287,348, and in Germany July 11, 1927.

I The present; invention concerns the elec-- trolyticalj manufacture of compounds containing active oxygen in .which the amalgamated cathodes employed are wetted by mercury. v v

In the electrolytic production of compounds containing active oxygen, for instance hydrogen peroxide, corrosion of the amalgamated cathodes sometimes occurs.-

In accordance'with the present invention this risk can be effectively reduced by freliquid in the cc quent or continuous wetting'of thecathodeswith fresh mercury during the electrolysis.

.' For example, this wetting-can be eiiected by causing mercury to trickle over the cathodes. The surface of the mercury flowing from'the cathode can be 1protected from attack by the l by being permanently kept cathodically polarized. Conveniently the excess mercury runs away through a siphonlike outlet, which is blocked to the electrolytes by themercury. Instead of trickling metallic mercury over the cathodes small quantities of mercury salt-s may be added to the electrolytes entering thecathode chain-- her. Since the deposition potential of merenry is essentially lower than the reduction potential of molecular oxygen, the metal is deposited completely and uniformly on the cathode, this indeed without any'considerable expenditure of current due to the high equivalent weight of mercury.

The accompanying drawing shows a representation of an electrolyzing vessel, in which 1 means a distributing device from which the mercuryis'trickled over the cathode 2. The

3 mercury flows away through a siphon like 'gen, the ste outlet 3 and is' pumped back by the pump 4 to the distributor 10 v Figure 5 -means the anode and 6 the diaphragm. We claim 1. In'the, process for the electrolytic manufacture of compounds containing active oxycury during the electrolysis; whereby the Wetting is effected by the electrolytic deposition of mercury on the cathodes.

3. In the process for the electrolytic manufacture of hydrogen peroxide, the step which comprises wetting the amalgamated cathodes employed with mercury during the electrolysls.

4. In the process for the electrolytic manufacture of hydrogen peroxide, the step which comprises wetting the amalgamated cathodes employed with mercury during the electrolysis; whereby the wetting is effected by the electrolytic deposition of mercury on the cathodes.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ERICH NOACK. [L.s.] OSWIN NITZSCHKE. [L. 5.] GEORG PFLEIDERER. [L. s.] 

